This invention relates generally to the field of pillows. More specifically, the invention relates to methods for making pillows.
Pillows have a wide variety of uses. For example, pillows are used almost universally when sleeping to support the head. However, pillows may have a variety of other uses. For example, pillows may be used to support a baby, to provide back support or to hold an object in front of a person. For instance, nursing pillows may be used to support a nursing baby. One example of a pillow that may be used for such applications is the Boppy® support pillow, commercially available from The Boppy Company. Examples of such pillows are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,261,134 and 5,661,861, the complete disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference.
Pillows may be manufactured in a variety of ways and using a variety of materials. For instance, some manufacturers use small poly beads as a fill material. However, consumer safety groups discourage such materials for use with infants because the resulting pillow can easily conform to the baby's face. A safer approach is to use densely packed fibers to provide a firm pillow. One technique for filling pillows with fibers is by hand. However, this process can be expensive and can create bumps in the pillow.